Buoyant clothing



W. MILNE BUOYANT CLOTHING Filed Sept. 26.

Get. 29, 1935.

1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNiTED s'ra'rss earsmOFFICE.

Application September 26, 1933, Serial No. 691,066 In Great BritainOctober 6, 1932 1 Claim.

This invention relates to buoyant clothing, as, for example, bathingsuits or beach suits and seamens garments, of the type formed with aninner pocket or pockets accommodating a concealed inflatable aircontainer.

According to a primary feature of the invention part of the fabric ofthe garment is formed of two separable plies the cell or space betweenwhich constitutes a pocket; that is to say, in the production of thefabric the web is locally formed in two planes of half thickness eachmerging into the single ply of full thickness of the remainder of thefabric, instead of attaching a separate pocket to the suit.

The pocket or pockets is or are desirably positioned to effectdistribution of the buoyancy between the neck and the waist line.

The inflatable air container accommodated in the pocket is suitablyformed as a belt which will fit around the chest of the wearer, the endsof the belt being advantageously joined by elastic of a length dependingon the chest measurements of the wearer.

In order to effect optimum local distribution of the buoyancy, the beltis constructed to present a plurality of interoommunicating compartmentsof different capacities, the compartments of the largest capacity beinglocated where buoyancy is most wanted, i. e., under the armpits, whileother compartments may be so positioned and shaped as to conform withthe contour of the wearers body. For example, for a ladies bathing suitor beach suit compartments may be shaped to support the breasts on bothsides.

A preferred form of belt comprises two rubber panels formed by twosheets or by one sheet folded over, and joined along the edges and alsojoined along local transverse strip-areas by flexible strips which stopshort of the longitudinal edges of the panels so as to afford portspermitting intercommunication of the compartments formed between thestrips, as is important in securing the requisite buoyancy for thedifferent methods of swimming and for floating. For example, smallcompartments may be disposed near each end of the belt, adjoining largercompartments, between which latter may be located a central compartmentand two small side compartments.

One compartment, preferably the central compartment, is provided with amouthpiece for use in inflating the belt.

The strips in question constitute stiffening strips distributed atpoints where it is required to give support to the wearers body; theintermediate compartments furnishing the requisite buoyancy.

A bathing suit of knitted fabric in accordance with the invention andfitted with an inflatable container or belt is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, thecontainer being deflated, and Fig. 2 a fragmentary section on the lineaw of Fig. l, the container being inflated, Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe inflatable air container, Fig. 4 a hori-- zontal. section on theline o-a of Fig. 3, and Figs. 5 and 6 transverse sections on the linesb-b and c-c, respectively, of Fig. 3, the container being shown ininflated condition.

As shown, there is provided in the body fabric of the suit above theWaist belt I an annular pocket 2 accommodating the inflatable container3 provided with a mouth piece 4 concealed normally within an auxiliarypocket 5 formed for easy access within the front of the fabric adjacentto the neck opening 6.

The pocket 2 is contained between separable outer and inner plies I, 8respectively, of the suit fabric merging-into the single ply fabric at 9adjacent to the waist belt I and at I!) below the level of the armholesll of the suit.

To form the pocket, in weaving or knitting the suit fabric the partsconstituting the plies 1 and 8 are made of half thickness, the remainderof the fabric being of full thickness.

As is understood, in use, the container 3 is inflated only when requiredand is normally concealed and inconspicuous.

For suits for juvenile use inflatable containers may be located inpockets formed in the shoulder straps l2 of the suit.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the air container is formed as a beltcomprising two panels I 3, M of rubber sheeting. joined along themarginal edges by U-shaped binding strips l5 and joined along transverselocal strip-areas by flexible strips l6 which stop short of thelongitudinal edges of the belt and which divide the belt intocompartments communicating with one another by way of ports I! andincluding a front central compartment I8, compartments l9 one on eachside of the compartment l8, large capacity compartments 20 adjoining thecompartments l9, and compartments 2| adjoining the compartments 20.

The compartments |82l are so relatively spaced that, when the belt isfitted in the pocket or annular space provided in the bathing suit withthe compartments I8, l9 to the i'ront, the large capacity compartments20 are adapted to come under the armpits of the wearer.

What I claim is:-

A one-piece seamless buoyant garment of single-ply knitted textilefabric, having a waist belt, and formed above said waist belt with apocket contained between separable plies each oi! one half the thicknessof the fabric, and an inflatable belt accommodated in said pocket, saidinflatable belt comprising two rubber panels joined together along theiredges, and vertical flexible supporting strips joining the adjacentfaces of said panels along locally distributed strip areas, said stripsstopping short of the longitudinal edges of said inflatable belt andaffording between them, intercommunicating compartments.

WM. MILNE

